Deep North: Stories from Iceland

We talk about the progress of language technology in Iceland and how tech is helping to shape the future of the language.   For those interested, the online dictionary mentioned in the discussion can be found here: https://ordsifjabok.arnastofnun.is/

We take a look at laufabrauð, a traditional Christmas delicacy, and the man keeping the custom alive.   As noted in the discussion, listeners can find Haraldur's website here: https://handverkharaldar.is/index.php/en/   Note that this is the last episode of the year until we go on our holiday break. We will see you in the new year!

Close your eyes and picture Iceland. What comes to mind? A powerful waterfall streaming down a cliffside? Bluish icebergs floating in a glacier lagoon? A hulking jeep fording a highland river? Or maybe a steaming hot spring or a neighbourhood swimming pool? Whichever image is most evocative of Iceland for you, there’s one thing they all have in common: water.

In this special episode, we break down the latest developments and give an overview of the situation on the Reykjanes peninsula.  Since the time of recording, the banks have agreed to waive interest and indexation of mortgages for the next three months. For the latest on the situation, check out our coverage on icelandreview.is      

A special episode today for Icelandic Language Day: we take a look at a fun 1973 piece from our archives, and talk about what it looks like to learn Icelandic today.

The West Icelanders in Canada are the largest group of Icelanders outside of Iceland. We look at the history of the short-lived Icelandic colony in Manitoba, and the story of one Icelander in particular.

As the tourism industry increasingly introduces English as a public language in Iceland, one programme in the Westfjords is trying to give the language a chance.   Find more resources to learn Icelandic at our website: https://www.icelandreview.com/ask-ir/is-there-an-app-or-website-where-i-can-learn-icelandic/

It's not an exaggeration to call the most recent Women's Strike historic. With some 70-100,000 women participating, including Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the strike attracted international media attention and injected fresh energy into feminist activism in Iceland. We take a look at our 1986 coverage of Women's Day Off and consider how far we've come, and where we have yet to go.

Iceland Review writer Ragnar Tómas seeks enlightenment at the Reykjavík Marathon.

Fall means an explosion of mushrooms throughout Iceland, and we go to find out more about these fascinating organisms. Note: the mushroom referenced in the Q&A is known as ullserkur, or shaggy mane.

A tale of love and power in mediaeval Iceland.

It was inevitable: Deep North dips its toes into the world of True Crime podcasting. 

Iceland has shortened its work week and it's been a resounding success. Kind of.

Under the regular ascent and descent of Keflavík jet traffic, out past the old American radar stations, at the northwestern tip of the Reykjanes peninsula, sits the Suðurnes Science and Learning Centre. Much like the airport terminal a few kilometres from here, this spit of low-flung land is a place where many visitors to this island come and go. Along with an international team of ecologists, Söl...

Last spring, journalists and activists gathered in a quiet fjord an hour’s drive north of Reykjavík. There was a small harbour, but no fishermen bringing in the day’s catch. For what these guys were fishing, they needed a bigger boat. The whaling ships of Hvalur were preparing for a season of fin whale hunting, planning to sail out and harpoon 160 animals in what was to be Iceland’s last whaling s...

The remarkable story of a 17th-century Icelander who travelled the world.

For the third year in a row, there’s a volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, only a stone’s throw away from the city centre. This eruption marks a pattern, with around 300 days between eruptions, geologists’ predictions of a new eruption phase for the long-dormant volcano system seem to be coming to fruition. For visitors to the island, as well as the locals themselves, this series of “tou...

The rangers of Iceland's many parks are protecting the land and keeping visitors safe.

Archaeologists are digging deep at Oddi.

The 1783 Laki eruption was one of the worst eruptions in modern history, with global consequences.

Iceland's priceless manuscript collection has a new home.

A look at the Hekla Forest, one of Iceland's greatest success stories in forestry.

The eruptions on the Reykanes peninsula in 2021 and 2022 once again propelled Iceland’s volcanoes into the global consciousness. The last time this happened was in 2010, when Eyjafjallajökull’s ash cloud grounded an estimated 10 million air travellers. By contrast, the latest social media-friendly eruptions, a half-hour drive from the capital, attracted even more tourists to the island’s already s...

It’s the first day of the coastal fishing season, and for the next three months, these independent fishermen on their small boats will let their lines out each morning, each bringing back just about 774 kilos of sparkling fresh cod each afternoon. For Guðmundur, steering his boat away from shore, cup of coffee still in his hand and the engine purring, this is the best part of his day. 

The tagline of Jón Karl’s Swimming Pool Stories reads as follows: “The Russians have their vodka. The Finns have their saunas. And the Icelanders have their pools.”  But unlike those first two, Icelandic swimming pool culture is relatively young. It began in the early 20th century, when a national awakening to the inordinate number of drownings among fishermen was taking place. A "deep dive" in th...